Getting Back to Business

When Belle first arrived here eight weeks ago, I had it in mind to let her settle in for a bit, then get right down to the business of getting her gentle.  I could pick up the end of her drag rope and move her in a circle, and even ask her to take sideways steps towards me.  I felt pretty confident that she would come around in the same time frame that Siesta and Capri did.  Now I know that Belle will come around, but she'll do it in her time, not someone else's. 

Belle isn't stubborn.  She isn't silly or stupid.  In fact, she is quite clever, charming, and creative.  She's also fearful, and it's that fear that has made progress go so slowly.  When working with her in the gentling pen or the round pen, she would express her fear by running in furious, mindless circles, which is not a good thing to do, especially while wearing a drag rope.  Rather than pushing her hard and fast, I've been working to earn her trust, and it's been paying off consistently, in little bits at a time.  By using pressure and release tactics, I've shown Belle that she doesn't need to blow up and nearly hurt herself whenever she gets afraid.  She can calm down and listen to me now.  That's a huge sign of progress, and it's what I needed to know before I could get back to business and move her forward in her training.

I'm the proud owner of a twelve-foot bamboo pole.  I like the length of the pole, as it matches the amount of personal space that horses like to keep around themselves when they are checking out a visitor, whether horse or human.  I've been using the pole to get closer to Belle, using it to move her forequarters and hindquarters effectively, using it to desensitize her to touch, and using it to pick up the end of the drag rope, which I can then grasp with my hand.

Sometimes, I can pick the rope up without help from the pole, but Belle has adopted the rope as part of her body, and she is very clever at positioning it just out of my reach.  I see no reason to bend down and present my skull as a target for her hind end (never mind that she's never yet offered to kick...there can always be a first time), so the pole is useful for "fishing" the rope up to me.  Belle actually likes this part of the game, and patiently waits while I get the rope up off the ground, slide it down the length of the pole, and into my hand.  I like the game, too!  As further evidence of how clever and creative Belle is, she somehow managed to tie a lovely knot in her rope, approximately two feet from the dragging end.  I love the knot, because it gives weight to the rope in just the right place, and makes it much easier to pick up with the pole.

So, with the rope in my hand, I let Belle do circles around me until she is relaxed and breathing, then I start to apply pressure to her head.  The other half of pressure is release, and I like to experiment with how much pressure I can apply before she needs her release.  I start by squeezing my fist on the rope...release.  Then a little wrist motion...release.  Next, some elbow-bending...release.  Belle's head turns towards me every time I exert pressure, and it returns to a straight position with every release.  If I get greedy and ask for pressure plus more pressure without a release, she pulls the rope from my hand and spins away to her favorite corner.  That's okay, though, because as she continues to learn I have to test her to see how far I can push ( or pull, in this case).  I fish the rope up, then start again.  This time, after the elbow-bending pressure, I use my whole body and step backwards in a straight line and expect her to move not just her head, but also her forequarters, toward me.  She does, as long as I offer a release.  This part of the game forces her to confront her fear, so I keep it brief and let her return to her comfort zone, then ask it again on the next lap.  That way, she is allowed to build confidence without passing the threshold of her sanity, and we stay safe.  I find a good note to quit on, and then we spend some quiet time together.

There is still a lot to look forward to with Belle, but I am enjoying working with her.  I'm convinced that when she finally comes around she is going to be a heck of a nice horse.  She sure is pretty, and so sweet too. Good things are in Belle's future, and I can hardly wait to show them to her.